


You Strip Away the Ugliness

by Arrestzelle



Category: The Evil Within (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Angst, Blood Drinking, Character Death, Human/Vampire Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-29
Updated: 2015-04-29
Packaged: 2018-03-26 08:33:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3844201
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arrestzelle/pseuds/Arrestzelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After living for over a hundred years, Joseph met a human who made him feel mortal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	You Strip Away the Ugliness

**Author's Note:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RJG3_smRTY
> 
> I really didn't mean for this to take an ugly turn, but sometimes the angst calls for me.

Blurry vision, short breath, clammy skin, erratic heartbeat. On the verge of starvation was never pleasant and Joseph, unfortunately, has experienced it many times. The sacrifice it took to abstain from human blood was unfortunate, but Joseph refuses to stoop as low as his wide-spread family. Cycle of life or not, he wasn't going to coax a human just to stick his fangs in their neck. 

After accidentally killing a woman on the fifth year following his awakening to this lifestyle, he resorted to animals instead. While their blood was cleaner due to their diets, animal's blood was unpleasantly thicker than a human's. Typically Joseph _did_ have to kill an animal for their blood (a single meal typically required him to drink them dry anyways), but he thought that was a better alternative to killing a human. He could see that the death of an animal, for survival, is more natural and forgiving.

This time though, it had been impossible for him to take even a thirty minute break to run out and satisfy his desire. On the cusp of putting a drawn-out case to an end, Joseph was more than preoccupied with his partner. Politely excusing himself to drink an animal's blood was out of the question. Sebastian hadn't taken a single bite of food, so Joseph thought he could refrain as well.

He was wrong. The process took longer than he anticipated so now here he was, hunched over on the side of the road after desperately telling Sebastian to pull over. Joseph was afraid of lunging at him while he was behind the wheel. He needed to get away, but Sebastian placing a hand on his back and asking if he was okay made it hard to. Joseph was weak and the rush of Sebastian's blood was ever clearer to his ears. 

His vision swam and the fight he held against himself, battling the urge to just give in and feed off of his partner, brought him to his knees. Or, at least it almost did. He began to topple over when Sebastian roughly grabbed at his bicep and the front of his vest, tugging him back to his feet.

“Hey! What's the matter with you?” Sebastian demands, earning a weakened glance from his typically pristine partner. He looked more pallid than usual and he was breathing labored breaths. Through the haze, Joseph could read the concerned stress written across his face.

“I was foolish. Maybe I should start bringing an additional thermos with blood to work,” Joseph wryly joked. Sebastian looked startled because Joseph _never_ said such a crude word as blood when it came to his diet. He usual kept it to “sustenance”. 

“Joseph, is this because you haven't... er, eaten all day?” Sebastian asked in a calm tone, feeling anxious. His brow was furrowed and teeth grit and bared, subconsciously. Joseph gives a weak nod and closes his eyes. It was getting harder to focus and he needed to get away. He gently pulls out from Sebastian's grasp and says tiredly, “I'll see you tomorrow. I have to go and...” He trails off momentarily. Sebastian looks conflicted, watching his weak partner.

“You don't have to worry,” Joseph finishes, cracking his eyes open to look at him. He knows he could lose sight and attack a civilian, which wouldn't go down well. Which is why he would rather leave now than wait for that to happen. Sebastian grabs tightly at his bicep again, the stubborn idiot, and looks him in the eye.

“Look, I know you're on a vegan diet or some shit,” Sebastian begins, earning a furrow of Joseph's brow, “But I'm not risking you passing out on the road or something. Someone finding you in this state, I'm guessing, wouldn't be a good thing.”

“Then what do you suggest?” Joseph asks groggily, blinking hard and squinting at the other.

Despite Sebastian's stern, hard gaze, an uncomfortable dark pink hue builds in his face and he swallows hard before saying, “Can't you, uh, you know... I can help.” He gave a vague gesture to his neck and Joseph frowns.

“Absolutely not. I'm not going to risk--”

“When I asked you before, you said finding suitable prey takes, what, typically half an hour? Do you think you got that time, Joseph?” Sebastian cut in, arching a brow at him. Joseph could barely see now and it was difficult to ignore the scent of Sebastian's warm blood. He was disgusted with himself, but the more primal part of him was getting persistent. He grits his teeth and lifts a gloved hand to press it over the side of his head. 

“Seb,” Joseph begins in a quiet murmur, lowering his hand and glancing at his older partner with a tired, soft look in his eyes, “I would rather suffer than risk taking your life.”

Sebastian's eyes narrow.

“Well, you're going to be dead if you don't take that risk,” he says, and then he pauses, just for a moment, before adding bitterly, “It's not like I have much to live for anyways. I just got my damn job.”

Something hurts in Joseph's chest and if he did have a heart, maybe it would have splintered. 

But then Sebastian adds, rather reluctantly, “And, uh. And you. So. If you died over something as easily solvable as this, that would be breaking the camel's back. Or whatever.” He rubs at his neck, a gesture Joseph fixes his eyes on, his irises shrinking. The words process a moment later after his momentary distraction, and then he fixes his gaze on Sebastian's again. He licks his lips and sighs.

The roar of Sebastian's blood, the beating of his heart, the intoxicating scent of his blood, the promise of drinking it. Joseph was losing his grip so all he could do was weakly nod. Just standing here and talking had wasted too much time already and they were too far out of town for Joseph to locate someone else in time. 

“You have to promise me, you will use lethal force if I don't stop,” Joseph says firmly, blinking hard and trying to give him a stern gaze. Sebastian only nods but Joseph can tell that's bullshit. Sebastian has always cared more about his comrades' well-being, rather than his own. Joseph couldn't argue, he just had to grasp onto the sliver of hope that Sebastian means it. Joseph would rather take a bullet to the brain than kill his partner. Thankfully the myth that vampires die from a stake to the heart was just that: a myth. Otherwise it would be a lot more difficult for Sebastian to fight him off.

Sebastian steps up and stares hard into Joseph's dilated eyes, and Joseph just nods. He watches as Sebastian quickly reaches up to loosen his tie and undo the buttons to his vest and shirt.

Joseph lacks any polite handling with this desperation and after swallowing hard, blinking repeatedly to shake off the blurriness in his vision, he reaches out to grab tight fistfuls of Sebastian's trench coat at the shoulders. He steps closer, nearly chest to chest with his partner, and hears Sebastian's heart begin to speed up rapidly. Sliding his eyes shut, Joseph leans in and keeping his nose hovered above the skin of his neck, he inhales deeply. He feels Sebastian tense up at the action. 

With his pupils shrinking and the heavy need roaring to life in him, he opens his mouth, fangs shooting down from where they lay hidden in his gums, and leans in to latch his mouth around the juncture that connected Sebastian's shoulder to his neck, sinking his teeth into the flesh. Sebastian grunts loudly, both from the pain and being taken off-guard. Joseph's eyelids flutter shut and he gives a long, deep suck, the heat and tang of his warm blood filling his mouth making his thoughts spin. 

Being so concerned about draining Sebastian, Joseph maintains a sliver of coherent thought and struggles to hold back. All his focus is fixed on not fading away entirely and giving in, so he doesn't bother repressing the urge to wrap his arms tightly around Sebastian, pressing their bodies flush together. He moans lowly against his neck, a deep humming noise that sends vibrations through Sebastian's skin. Sebastian's heart is beating quick, with his hand grabbing at the door of the car, the other grasping at Joseph's shoulder. 

“Jesus, Joseph,” Sebastian says gruffly as Joseph stays latched to him, giving long sucks to the puncture wounds in his neck, coaxing forth the flow of blood. Joseph wrinkles his nose just slightly. His blood was disgusting. Tainted with the filth of cigarettes and excessive alcohol. He could really start detoxing. Joseph will look into that after all of this.

After getting a good couple mouthfuls, Joseph has more coherent thought and loosens his hold around Sebastian. He sets his hands on Sebastian's broad shoulders and doesn't cling to him so closely. Sebastian loosens his hold on Joseph's side, noticing. Joseph tasted the sweet tint of adrenaline in his blood and furrows his brow tightly once he realizes. Damn. He only did this to humans when they were unconscious to avoid the adrenaline. Adrenaline brought on side effects he loathed.

Sebastian was getting weak, leaning heavily on the door with his hand, so Joseph stopped sucking immediately. Carefully he removes his fangs with a quiet wet sound, the white bone colored a dark red. Then, even if he was mildly embarrassed, he lapped at the puncture wounds with his tongue, to seal it up with his saliva which was meant to do just that. He didn't want to stain Sebastian's treasured coat.

Leaning back, he eyes the holes in Sebastian's neck, keeping his shirt and coat pulled aside to prevent any staining. It was quiet when Joseph finally leaned back, leaving Sebastian to fix up his clothing. The fuzziness in his vision and mind was gone and he felt more himself.

Sebastian eyes him up and down and comments in a thick voice, “You look rather composed after doing that.” He tugs up his shirt to conceal the mark and begins buttoning up the top buttons to his shirt before working on his vest. Joseph licks his bloody lips and looks down, his face hot. 

“Practice makes perfect,” he jokes wryly, pulling at his gloves nervously. Sebastian gives a light snort of amusement and lifts a hand to place it over his own clammy forehead. Concerned, Joseph glances up at his face, noticing he was pallid.

“Shit, did I go overboard? Are you okay? How do you feel?” Joseph begins, plucking off a glove to reach out and feel his pulse. It was weaker than usual, but that was expected. Sebastian gives a small smile and gives a lackluster shrug. 

“You haven't cursed in a long time. That worried about me?” Sebastian teases despite the momentary panic, and Joseph gives him a scowl, face burning with embarrassment. Damn it. He hated how much he blushed after feeding. Sebastian always made it a task to try to get him worked up after lunch because of that.

“Yes. I could have killed you.”

“Well, you didn't, and I'm fine. Didn't hurt as much as I expected,” Sebastian says, rubbing at his neck and wincing a little at the touch. Joseph watches him blankly, not bothering to mention he chose a spot he knew was more forgiving of such an act. 

“When was the last time you did that, anyways?” Sebastian asks, gazing at Joseph's face. He notices Joseph's skin was more colorful and he looked healthy. The only time he saw him like this was during lunch, and Joseph usually tried concealing his face, giving Sebastian little opportunity to look. Joseph pulls on his glove again and exhales deeply. 

“Five years after I turned one hundred,” he begins, lifting his calmer gaze to his partner, “I killed a woman. That was the last time I drank from a human.” Sebastian looks slightly surprised, his eyebrows rising. Joseph turns away and begins to pace around the pulled over vehicle to get into the passenger side again. After grabbing his coat off the seat where he had left it, he buckles his seat belt while Sebastian collapses down into the driver seat beside him. Thankfully he doesn't say anything about what Joseph told him.

“Well, you look better. You look good,” Sebastian comments instead as he pushes the key back into the ignition. Joseph mentally curses the blood that builds in his cheeks. He huffs and peeks at him. Sebastian was smiling smugly at him, having noticed. Joseph glares at him bitterly and then turns his body away from him, making it a point to stare out the window. He didn't want to give him the satisfaction.

Sebastian chuckles as he shuts the door and starts the car again. 

As Sebastian begins to drive back onto the road, Joseph folds his coat over his lap, still feeling Sebastian's adrenaline coursing through him. He shakily pushes his glasses higher up on his nose. The only time he hated having blood in his body is when it decided to do anything other than give him nutrition, at times he didn't want it. He remains silent the entire drive back, making sure he was properly concealing his lap. 

\-------------

Eight months later, after they became the more literal sense of partners, Joseph is on top of Sebastian. Sebastian, being the old man he was, complained about back pains and so Joseph suggested changing position. 

It was typically like this after Joseph finished drinking. The mix of adrenaline and blood flowing through Joseph's veins encouraged it and they fell into bed easily because of it. 

“Why do you insist on wearing your damn gloves during sex?” Sebastian breathlessly asks as he rolls over and Joseph moves to straddle his hips.

“I'm sure you would rather not have talons embedded in your skin during this,” Joseph remarks as he grabs onto Sebastian's cock and raises his hips over it. Sebastian is momentarily silenced, sucking in a breath when Joseph slowly sits down on his erection in one smooth motion. He lets out a deep exhale and runs his hands up Joseph's bare thighs.

“Wouldn't they just cut through your gloves?” Sebastian asks as Joseph readjusts his position.

“The gloves are like a reminder. The touch of leather makes it easier to keep me from letting them come out,” Joseph answers as he sets his gloved hands on Sebastian's hairy, heaving belly. He would clip them if it didn't feel like he was being declawed like a cat. It felt disturbingly unnatural and painful. Joseph brushes aside the thought and focuses on what he was doing. 

Sebastian doesn't say anything in response as Joseph begins to raise and lower himself with smooth, slow movements of his hips. He looks up at Joseph with narrowed eyes, mouth fallen open and brow furrowed. He grabs painfully tight at Joseph's hips and watches him as he moves, his slender pale body eerily beautiful in the dim light of the lamp. Joseph's eyes close and he pants raggedly.

Having sex after drinking blood felt natural. The adrenaline gave a spike to his libido and not repressing the urge was a relief. 

Unfortunately, the abnormal surge made it harder for Joseph to maintain his dignified composure. Head falling back, he moans lustfully and begins to ride Sebastian with quicker, harder drops of his hips, his glasses beginning to slip down the bridge of his nose. Sebastian grunts and reaches a hand in to begin jerking Joseph's flushed, hard cock. Joseph gasps sharply. He runs his hands up from Sebastian's belly to rest over his chest.

Sebastian tightly grunts his name and begins to thrust up into him, matching the falling of his hips. Joseph lets out a humiliating moan with each thrust, his face burning like fire. He bites his lip hard, trying to quell those noises. Sebastian lets his erection go to grab at his sides, pulling him down into each thrust. Joseph's body jerks forward with each hard snap of Sebastian's hips until Sebastian gives his last one, pressing up into him. Sebastian pants hard, matching Joseph's equally short breaths, as he comes hard, his face screwing up and chest heaving.

“Fffuck,” Sebastian growls, giving three more hard bucks of his hips into Joseph. Joseph reaches down to give long, slow pulls to his own erection. Sebastian slumps down into the bed, his hands resting on Joseph's slender hips. Joseph settles back on his lap, resting momentarily, before climbing off of him. Sebastian sits up and removes the condom as Joseph collapses next to him on the bed.

Joseph watches him as he ties the condom and throws it out. Sebastian turns back to him and without hesitance, he slides over to him and hooks his big hands under Joseph's knees, fingers resting around his thighs. Joseph can't help the little smile that appears on his lips when Sebastian slots himself between his legs, nudging them open. He scoots back to get into position.

“Again?” Joseph teases softly as Sebastian drifts his warm, calloused hands up Joseph's sides. Smirking, Sebastian looks up at him, his rugged, usually tense, features more relaxed. Joseph liked that look.

“Hey, what can I say? We all use our mouths for different things. While you use yours for drinking blood, I use mine for sucking cock.”

Laughing, Joseph shakes his head and adds between his chuckling, “Hopefully among those two, I'm the only one that uses teeth.”

The gold in Sebastian's eyes light up with his low laughter and he grins, his teeth exposed. Joseph stares, smiling softly at the image. Sebastian gives a pat to his side and then leans down to take his aching erection into his mouth. Joseph's hips give a little jerk and he gasps. Biting his lip, he watches as Sebastian closes his eyes and hollows his cheeks, giving tight suction.

Fuck, he looked so good doing this. Joseph slumps down into the pillows, watching through lidded eyes as Sebastian began to give slow, deep bobs of his head, taking it all into his mouth each time. Joseph moans lowly, grabbing tight fistfuls of the blanket under them. He watches him, oddly enamored with the way Sebastian's long, dark locks fell past his ears and pooled on his hips each time he lowered his head. His brow was relaxed, despite the fact he was focused on blowing him. His warm, big hands resting on Joseph's sides, a touch Joseph soaked in.

Sebastian pressing down until his nose was buried in his pubic hair takes Joseph off-guard. He gasps loudly and his hips shake, eyes squeezing shut. It's what sends him off the edge, making his body involuntarily shake, the rush of pleasure racking through him. Sebastian seemed perfectly fine with taking a mouthful. He continues sucking until Joseph grunts at the sensitivity. Then he slowly pulls off, keeping a tight suction as he does. Joseph pants heavily, releasing his grip on the blanket.

Sitting back, Sebastian brushes back his messy locks as he swallows it all down, giving Joseph a nice view of his throat as he does. Joseph swallows thickly too. Sebastian gives him a tired little smirk before moving to lay down beside him on the bed. Sighing, he reaches out to take an affectionate hold of Joseph's gloved hand. But then he pauses and retracts his hand just to tug down on the glove until it slid off. Joseph doesn't protest. Sebastian threads their fingers together and Joseph feels something warm and floating in his chest. 

“I want to see them.”

Joseph glances at the other, blinking. Sebastian peeks at him from the corner of his eye as he lifts their laced hands. Joseph understands then and gives him a tiny smirk. He turns their hands so Joseph's faced them and then he lets his claws emerge. They weren't terribly long. Maybe three-quarters of an inch. They were pointed though.

“Damn. Those are like built-in knives,” Sebastian says with awe, letting his hand go to take a hold of his fingers. Sebastian presses the pad of his finger against the tip of one and Joseph laughs a little.

“Yeah. They are meant for tearing, so.”

“Oh, right.”

“So, that's why I'd rather not remove my gloves. I wouldn't want to hurt you. Or rip the blanket to shreds.”

Laughing, Sebastian nods and threads their fingers together again. Joseph retracts his claws and gives a squeeze to Sebastian's hand. 

He never anticipated that during his ceaseless lifespan, he would end up laying in bed with this man. It was a turn of events he definitely preferred.

\-------------

Thirty years was like a blink of an eye to Joseph. It was hardly enough time and for the first time in his life, Joseph felt like he had a heart that was breaking.

Sitting at Sebastian's bedside at the hospital, Joseph was holding his frail hand in both of his own, lacking the gloves. Sebastian was looking at him, the light in his golden eyes faded a bit. Like the last few days, Joseph sat there, describing his family and his past as a child, before he had awakened as a blood-drinker. Thirty years definitely had not been enough time, because he hadn't told Sebastian enough yet. 

Thirty years hadn't been enough time, and Joseph hated himself so dearly for even considering that _maybe_ , just maybe, he should have gone along with what Sebastian wanted and changed him into his kind.

He was selfish to even regret his decision now. He should have thought more deeply about it at the time when Sebastian suggested it. He just... didn't want to subject Sebastian to an endless cycle. Joseph, sitting at his death bed, thought that he was saving Sebastian the pain. But it was unbelievably foolish of him. He should have realized sooner that Sebastian wasn't concerned about himself, he was concerned about Joseph. Joseph _knew_ Sebastian cared more for ones close to him, rather than for himself, so why didn't he just...

Sebastian saying his name jerks him from his angered thoughts. He hadn't realized he had drifted from his story and delved into such dark territory. Sebastian was looking at him with a fondness and fear was lacking entirely in his expression.

“I need my partner to be strong, when I'm not here,” Sebastian says, abruptly. Joseph looks down to their hands and tightens his lips, expecting something like this. He remains silent. Sebastian squeezes Joseph's hand weakly. He could say more meaningful things, but he doesn't. Joseph understood, because Sebastian was never that great at consolation. But it was enough for Joseph, in that moment. Sebastian laughs wryly.

“Look at you. You're still young and handsome and I'm a wrinkly old man.”

Joseph glances up at him and arches a brow. Sebastian was giving him a little grin. Joseph attempts to give him a small smile, but it came out strained.

“Yeah. At least I've got that, right?” He says tightly, looking back down at their hands. Sebastian is quiet. He carefully removes his hand from Joseph's hold and Joseph lets him, stomach tight with knots. Sebastian raises that hand, bringing his other hand up to remove the ring still around his finger. He never removed it, despite the fact it became too large for his finger.

Joseph watches silently, face blank as Sebastian looks at it with a melancholic look in his eyes. Then he glances at Joseph and holds it out for him.

Stunned, Joseph looks at him and opens his mouth, speaking quietly, “But don't you... Wouldn't you want to be...” He swallows thickly, before finishing. “Buried with it?”

Sebastian gives a slight upturn of his lips. “Everything else of mine will erode with time, but I'm thinkin' this will last longer.”

Joseph feels his throat tighten and he just stares at his raised hand, the ring glistening weakly in the light of the hospital room. He reaches out to gingerly take it from him. Sebastian smiles softly and drops his hand down. Joseph looks at it in his palm and then raises his gaze to Sebastian's.

“If it's what you want,” he begins quietly, finding it hard to talk, “I'll keep it with me.”

“Yeah, it's what I want.”

Nodding, Joseph looks down at it for a moment longer before closing his fingers around the ring. He holds onto it, lifting his gaze to Sebastian's. After giving him a weak smile, Sebastian begins to cough, these rattling, wheezing noises that made Joseph frown deeply. 

Wiping the escaped spit from his mouth, Sebastian begins to speak again.

“Alright, I'm exhausted and I wanna sleep, but I have one last thing to say.”

Joseph's face relaxes slightly and he gives him a short nod. Sebastian slips his hand back in-between Joseph's and Joseph's lip twitches up into a lackluster smile. Sebastian looks into Joseph's eyes and adds with a wry smirk, “And don't call me a sentimental old man, or else I'm going to smack you.”

“I won't,” Joseph promises with a smile.

“Well..” Sebastian begins, glancing down to their hands. He laughs a little, giving a tight cough after with a furrow of his brow. Joseph watches him expectantly, squeezing his hand. Sebastian gives a shrug.

“You know how it is. That one emotion that is associated with a deep bond.”

Joseph feels a grin grow on his face and he nods.

“I think I may know what you mean.”

“Do you?”

“Yeah... if I'm not mistaken, it starts with an 'L'?”

“Oh, right! Yeah, I remember the word now. I love you.”

Joseph's grin softens into a gentle smile at that and Sebastian looks way too pleased with himself. Joseph was always amazed at how easily Sebastian brought a smile to his face, even in situations like these. It hurt, realizing that, and he had to force the smile now. He feels the burning of tears in his eyes and he swallows thickly, exhaling a shuddering breath.

“I love you too, Seb. I'm sorry you ended up with someone who never ages. You deserved better than that.”

Sebastian's smile softens just slightly and he gazes at Joseph tiredly.

“I don't think that's true,” Sebastian begins in a quiet voice. Joseph watches him, brow furrowing. Sebastian pauses, inhaling deeply before continuing, “You're the reprieve I was hoping for. Call me a sentimental old man if you want, but these thirty years made up for the few that took so much from me. Even if I was a little jealous about getting worn down and wrinkly while you were the same as ever, it was still you that I was with. Doesn't matter that we aren't aging together, because I never had to fear about losing you to begin with.”

The weak smile accompanying those words makes it harder for Joseph to repress the tears threatening to escape his eyes. So, he closes them. After a pause, he leans over, lifting their hands to press them against his forehead. He sighs heavily and speaks in a mumble.

“There were many things I made you fear to make up for it.”

“If you're suggesting I was scared of dating a vampire, then I really will smack you.”

The thick, wet laugh that comes from Joseph was abrupt. He sniffs and swallows hard to force it back down. Sebastian's hand slides out from between Joseph's to cup his cheek. Joseph lifts his head to look at him. Sebastian's hand wasn't as warm as it used to be. 

Sebastian brushed away a descending tear, as cheesy as the motion was.

“You'll recover, just like I did,” Sebastian murmurs, a faint sadness in his eyes. 

Joseph shakes his head, his bottom lip trembling slightly. 

“I'm not strong like you, Seb,” Joseph says in a wobbly voice that cracked, just as another hot tear spills down his face. He felt guilty. He was the one that was being comforted while Sebastian was the one that was dying. He was so selfish and he hated himself because of it. 

Sebastian frowns, lightly.

“Joseph, you've lived for how long? You've lived two lifespans of a human, and I barely made it past half of mine,” Sebastian says, sucking in a deep breath before continuing in a firm tone, “Don't you dare say you aren't strong, because that's a bigger lie than saying I never drank a sip of alcohol.”

Joseph gazes at him, his frown tightening. Sebastian pulls his hand away and pats Joseph's hands that rested on the bed. 

“You'll be fine without me,” Sebastian says tiredly, “You managed a hundred without me, what's another couple more?”

“You know it's not the same,” Joseph says, suddenly feeling entirely numb. Sebastian gives a strained smile.

“I know you'll be fine because that's just how it's gonna be. And you trust me, don't you?”

Joseph ducks his head down as he shakes it slightly, reaching up to remove his glasses. He rubs at his eyes and sighs heavily.

“Yeah. Yeah, I do.”

“Alright. Good. Now I'll see you tomorrow, Joseph. Let this old man get some rest.”

Joseph slides his glasses back on and gives him a soft smile despite the crushing, tight feeling in his core. He nods. He grips the ring tighter in his hand and begins to stand. Sebastian arches an expectant brow at him and Joseph feels a tiny grin grow on his lips. He nods and leans in without a word to press a chaste, soft kiss to Sebastian's lips. Sebastian returns it briefly and smiles up at him when he leans back. Joseph brushes back his graying locks and then retracts his hand.

“I'll see you tomorrow, Seb,” he says softly, smiling down at the other. Sebastian nods and returns it, the crows feet at the corners of his eyes becoming more pronounced. 

\-------------

[Warning for suicide up ahead!] 

Forty years later, Joseph is stepping down into the basement of his home. It's dusty and suffocating in the darkness. Joseph doesn't bother turning on the light. He approaches the dark, intimidating mahogany Pelham coffin. Lacking his gloves, Joseph drifts his fingers across the sleek edge of it, his talons skirting across the polished surface. 

The ring is cold on his finger. He had worn it around his neck for a long time, but had grown tired of replacing the chain. With the gift of seeing in the dark, Joseph can gaze at it on his pale finger. He can still recall the image of it on Sebastian's rougher, wider finger. The ring becoming worn down and scratched with Sebastian's lack of care. It just showed what kind of person he was. Joseph found it to be something he loved. The hollow cave in his chest fills with an ache and he wished it would just let him go.

Maybe this would finally release him from the torture. He unclasps the top of the coffin and gracefully slips in. He wore his usual attire of slacks, a button up shirt, and a matching vest. His badge, which he kept pristine and shining through all these years, resting in his vest pocket. It was fitting, right? A human would wear this to a funeral. 

He closes the casket. The white padding of the coffin is comfortable and he closes his eyes. 

People of his kind only laid in coffins when they knew death was soon to come. He supposes that's another thing vampires and humans had in common. Vampires dried out before waking up from sleep in a casket.

Joseph had died long ago, so the slumber came easy to him. It was the reprieve he was looking for.

**Author's Note:**

> esidisi-kars.tumblr.com


End file.
